anderson, Tyree have
musTangs on The run
Every year there’s always debate as to who is the best pound-for-pound high school football player
in Autauga and Elmore counties. The Progress has thrown its hat into the ring of competitive
banter with its “Rough & Tough 20” 2011 preseason rankings. By Cortez Strickland cstrickland1@gannett.com
1. Justin Thomas

6. Lorenza Cooper

11. Jay Minor

16. Bailey Hansen

QB | Prattville | Sr.

RB | Marbury | Sr.

DL | Prattville | Sr.

DB | Edgewood | Jr.

If Thomas can avoid those
nagging leg injuries, he’ll show
why numerous SEC and ACC
schools continue to recruit him
despite his verbal commitment
to Alabama. A stellar
season by this quarterback
could mean another state
championship for the Lions.

2. Justin Shanks
DL | Prattville | Sr.

The attention for Shanks, who
committed to Florida State,
went to another level over the
summer behind his impressive
camp outings. However, his onthe-field output hasn’t matched
those numbers of other highprofiled stars. Stay tuned.

3. Caleb Gulledge
OL | Prattville | Sr.

One of two Tide commitments
at Prattville, Gulledge’s size
and quickness off the line
make him a perfect fit for the
up-tempo scheme of Lions
coach Jamey DuBose.

4. Kevin Lacey
QB | Wetumpka | Sr.

The switch to quarterback
should be an interesting
process for the 6-foot-6 former
defensive back. If he can make
quick adjustments, expect
programs like Oregon State
to soon offer a scholarship.

5. Austin Golson
OL | Prattville | Jr.

With two seasons still
remaining to improve and
grow, the FSU commitment
should be in the running
for the nation’s top prep
linemen by season’s end.

As perhaps the most
underrated player in
Autauga County, Cooper
amassed more than
1,400 all-propose yards
in a tough region that
included 3A heavyweights
Leeds and Handley.

The 6-foot-2 defensive lineman
is one of three Prattville
teammates who have already
given a verbal to South
Alabama. He was one of
the Lions’ top sack leaders,
collecting a dozen a season ago.

12. Jalen Whitlow

7. O.J. Howard

QB | Prattville | Sr.

He had more than 100 tackles,
six interceptions and five
fumble recoveries. And it
was just his first season as a
full-time starter, so expect to
see those numbers go up.

17. JaQuille Ellis
RB | Holtville | Jr.

No one can argue Whitlow’s
talent or ability. If you don’t
think so, ask your self how can
someone who played mainly as
the backup quarterback secure
an offer from Arkansas State?

Ellis created some buzz
for himself despite being
in a deep and loaded
backfield in the Dawgs’
“Spin” offense. Whether at
receiver or running back,
he’ll keep defenses honest.

13. Arie Anderson

18. Jonathan Pearson

DL | Stanhope Elmore | Jr.

LB | Prattville Christian | Sr.

A playmaker in the true sense
of the word. A hardhitting defensive back
with a mean streak.
Southern Miss is
getting a good one.

A key cog in the defensive
machine at Stanhope Elmore,
Anderson finished with 81
tackles and a pair of sacks as
a sophomore. He’ll be counted
on more this season due to the
program’s large graduation
number on his side of the ball.

Pearson’s abilities at
linebacker have caught the
eye of Wake Forest and
Western Kentucky, among
others. He had 77 tackles
and three sacks a year ago.

9. Dedrien Lucas

14. Bradley Steele

RB | Stanhope Elmore | So.

WR | Autauga Academy | Jr.

Like Shanks, the on-field
production hasn’t equaled his
off-season national attention.
There’s more than enough
time for Howard, an Alabama
commitment for 2013, to
mature as a playmaker.

13

8. Derrick Moncrief
DB | Prattville | Sr.

DL | Wetumpka | Sr.

Lucas’ non-stop motor was
one of the main reasons
why the Tribe’s secondary
caused so much trouble for
opposing quarterbacks.

16

10. Laronji Vason
DB | Prattville | Sr.

OL | Prattville | Sr.

He’s the one of four starting
linemen to have already
committed, pledging his
alliance with South Alabama,
which also got a verbal
from follow lineman and
teammate Terrance Jones.

15. De’Ante Lawrence

A get-in-your-face
cornerback who can
be left on an island by
himself with the opposing
team’s top receiver. He
has already given a
verbal commitment
to Wake Forest.

LB | Prattville | Sr.

An all-around and versatile
performer who committed
to Southern Miss. Lawrence
might just be the best
athlete of the two counties.

19. Kenterrious Tyree
With the backfield less crowded
now, Tyree should be the
featured back for the run-first,
run-second offensive scheme of
Mustangs coach Jeff Foshee.

20. Keyvon Owens
DL | Marbury | Sr.

A late bloomer, Owens has
generated some interest
from several state colleges
including Alabama State,
Tuskegee and Faulkner.
top: photoS by Mickey WelSh
and lloyd GallMan/advertiSer
left: advertiSer file photoS

HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Mustangs plan to extend long homefield winning streak
Head coach

By Cortez Strickland
cstrickland1@gannett.com

Jeff Foshee

T

» Age: 39
» Experience:
Foshee
spent two
years as an
University
of Alabama graduate assistant and three years as
the defensive coordinator
at Stanhope Elmore High
School before taking over
the helm following the
retirement of his father,
Jimmy, in 2000.

Player
profiles
Casey “C.J.” Davis

Kicker Dalton VanCor, above left, said being a senior will bring out more pride in winning this year. Head coach Jeff Foshee,
below left, said expectations are high for the Mustangs and the team wants it that way. Photos by Lloyd Gallman/Advertiser
Top Gun All-Star Camp as
an eighth-grader.
The camp has featured
with some of the nation’s
top players and boasts an
elite staff of some of football’s greatest minds. Top
Gun has privately trained
and mentored NFL quarterbacks such as Tom Brady,
Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and
Eli Manning, among others.
But Foshee was recently
forced to juggle his depth
chart at quarterback after
Harris surprisingly transferred to a school in the
Gulf Shores area. With his
competitor out of the picture, Glenn assumes playcalling duties with the first
team and Tory Graves slides

“

When you look up and see the student
section filled and parents there to see their
kids play, it brings out a lot of pride.
— Dalton VanCor, K

in as backup until Wilson is
declared healthy enough
for football activities.
“He has accepted the
challenge and I know he’s
not going to make a lot of
mistakes,” Foshee said of
Glenn, a senior. “No doubt
he can run the offense, he’s
been out here two years so
he knows what to do. Now is
his opportunity.
“It puts a lot more pressure on the other guys,”
the head coach continued.

“

he bar has been set
pretty high for Stanhope Elmore.
A season ago, the Mustangs put together their
best campaign, posting
a 10-3 record that featured wins that halted
long losing streaks against
Prattville and Wetumpka
and included a trip to the
Class 6A quarterfinals.
“Expectations have always been high and we want
to keep them that way,”
Stanhope Elmore coach Jeff
Foshee said. “The guys have
worked extremely hard this
summer. Hopefully we can
keep it going and maybe go
a step further.”
The Mustangs, who lost
close to 30 seniors from
last year’s squad, are expected to use the same
formula that provided the
Millbrook fans with loads
of excitement in 2010.
Foshee said he plans to
continue calling the defensive schemes while the offense will operate out of the
I-formation again. Stanhope
Elmore’s running attack
should continue to be the
school’s bread and butter
with Fred Harris, C.J. Davis and Kenterrious Tyree.
If there’s one glaring
concern for the Mustangs,
it might come from the
quarterback position. Last
year’s starter, Brandon
Wilson, suffered a broken
leg during the spring and
is expected to miss at least
the first three games.
Quarterbacks Garrett
Glenn and freshman Nathan Harris came into the
offseason neck-and-neck in
a heated battle to land the
job. Harris generated some
buzz last summer while in
middle school, participating in Football University’s

“We’re going to move on
and be fine. It does hurt as
from a depth standpoint,
though.”
Six of Stanhope Elmore’s
regular-season games are at
the safe confines of FosheeHenderson Stadium, a field
where the Mustangs have
not lost at in two seasons.
“When you look up and
see the student section filled
and parents there to see
their kids play, it brings out
a lot of pride,” senior kicker

Dalton VanCor said. “Being
a senior, I know I will have
more pride about winning
(at home) more than ever.”
A senior, Davis said protecting home-field advantage is perhaps the most
important thing for him and
his follow senior classmates
because they don’t want to
be known as the group who
allowed the streak to end.
Notes: Stanhope Elmore has
not suffered a loss at FosheeHenderson Stadium since its 27-21
setback to Jess Lanier on Oct. 31,
2008 — a span of 11 consecutive home games including the
postseason. … The Mustangs’
defense dominated more than
half of their opponents a season
ago, limiting seven schools to a
touchdown or less.

» Year: Sr.
» Position:
Fullback
» Ht./Wt.:
5-11/230
“Playing
in front of
your family and friends
and your school and showing your talent to those
you love the most on the
football field.”
Dalton VanCor
» Year: Sr.
» Position:
Kicker
» Ht./Wt.:
5-11/207
“Too many
things to
list — discipline, strength,
toughness and effort.”

BULL’S-EYE ON WILDCATS
Edgewood seeks to defend another state football title

Head coach Bobby Carr, center, will try to lead his team to its third state title in four years. Carr said he the Wildcats will be working every day to reach the high standard set by past
teams. PHOTOS BY MICKEY WELSH/ADVERTISER

PLAYER
PROFILES

By A. Stacy Long
slong1@gannett.com

T

Ryan Jackson
» Year: Sr.
» Position:
LB/FB
» Ht./Wt.:
5-11/250
Favorite
movie? “I
have a couple of them,
but I’ll say “Friday Night
Lights.” How they play
the games and how they
go through practices fits
in with real high school
football. I love that. I
could watch that movie
every day.”

WR/DB Cole Lipscomb, left, and Bailey Hansen, WR/LB, will be looking to help the Wildcats repeat as state champions.
Carr, when practice
started, was leaning toward Dylan Ingram after
impressive summer 7-on-7
work.
“We have a lot of weapons, and Dylan does a good
job spreading the ball
around to all of our guys,”
Carr said. “He understands
our offense and that is
more than half the battle.”
Still, tasting a title last
year hovers in the back of
their minds. The Wildcats
beat Springwood 41-0, so
there wasn’t any last-second drama, but it still hit

“

We love these rings, but we’ve got
to focus on this season. It’s a lot
of motivation, and we’re working
hard to get another ring.
—RYAN JACKSON, LB/FB

them hard.
Now, they just have to
do it again.
“It’s definitely harder,”
Coleman said. “It gets
tougher. Everybody out
there looks at us and wants
to see us lose.”

“

he logo isn’t changing on the sides of
Edgewood’s helmets
this year, but there’s a symbolic addition that will stick
to the Wildcats.
With two state championships the last three
years, a red bull’s-eye
will likely center on the
school’s helmet insignia
and the Wildcats are confident their name has been
circled (maybe in red) on
opposing schedules.
“We know we’re going
to get everybody’s best
game,” senior receiver/defensive back Sam Coleman
said.
It’s become a fact of life
for Edgewood, the price
the Wildcats pay for a run
of overwhelming success.
Edgewood has a combined 35-4 record the last
three years and -- except
for a last-play field goal by
Monroe Academy in 2009 -would have three straight
state titles.
And winning isn’t limited to just the gridiron. The
school’s baseball team is a
three-time defending state
champion, too.
“It says a lot about
our teams in the past and
they’ve raised the bar
high,” said Bobby Carr,
the football and baseball
team’s coach. “Every team
is going to give them their
best game.
Coleman and linebacker/fullback Ryan Jackson
each wear their championship rings sparingly. They
save them for special occasions but look at them most
every day.
It’s not just a reminder
of what they’ve done. It’s
motivation to add to the
collection.
“We have the talent,”
Jackson said. “We have
most of our players coming
back and we know what it
takes.
“We love these rings,
but we’ve got to focus on
this season. It’s a lot of motivation, and we’re working
hard to get another ring.”
The Wildcats return
their front eight players on
defense and eight starters
back on offense, too. That
includes virtually all of
their skill offensive starters, though they do need a
new quarterback after AllState Matt Moore graduated.

Notes: Offensive lineman Mitch
Greer was All-State last season.
He missed the first week of practice this year because he was at a
workout for the Detroit Tigers in
Lakeland, Fla. Edgewood has suffered just one losing season under
Carr, a 3-7 finish in 2007. Carr has
had eight All-State quarterbacks
in 15 years as a head coach.

Head coach
Bobby Carr
» Age: 39
» Experience: Carr is
95-25 with
two state
championships in 10
seasons as Edgewood’s
football coach. The Wildcats have also won three
straight state baseball titles
under Carr. Previously, he
spent five years at New
Life in Millbrook. His career
record is 139-43.

Sam Coleman
» Year: Sr.
» Position:
WR/DB
» Ht./Wt.:
5-10, 165
Favorite TV
show? “That
70s Show.” It’s a pretty
funny show about teenagers and the lives that they
live. (Mila Kunis) is such a
character and she’s crazy.
She’s definitely a drama
queen on that show.”

TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Panthers hoping region success will fuel state title dreams
By Jimmy White
Special to the Advertiser

I

At left, Quandarius Vickers stops Shawan Parks during football practice. The Panthers lost their first game 21-14 to Autauga Academy last week. At right,
Nick Nettles works out during preseason practice. PHOTOS BY LLOYD GALLMAN
Quarterback Jordan Peak
(junior) is healthy and already has college recruiter’s interest. Peak has an
excellent arm and manag-

es Powell’s spread offense
with accuracy.
“We run the Gus Malzahn
spread and have some kids
that can run and catch,”
Powell said. “Edward Todd
(senior) has good hands and
great speed. Others include
Barry Jackson (senior) and
three juniors Thomas Cotton, Jake Williams and Trey
Ousley. Michael Lynam
(senior halfback) and Jonathan Pearson (senior running back) will also play a
vital role in our offense.”
The Panthers return
seniors Nick Friday, Tyler Brannon and Aaron
Reynolds on the offensive

“

There is no doubt that this year’s team
has worked harder, longer and with more
enthusiasm that any other season.
— Edward Todd Jr., WR/KR

line. Defensively, Pearson
(6-0/200) is an all-metro
linebacker, while Connor
McKenzie returns as a
senior linebacker and can
play H-back.
Pearson is excited about
his senior season. He has
interest from Western
Kentucky, Samford, Jacksonville State and Harding
University.
“We have been working
very hard this summer,”
Pearson said. “It has been
the best summer since I
have been here. We hope all
the extra work we have put
in will help us get to Troy.
We have set the bar high
for this year’s team, and
our expectations are not
just to make the playoffs,
but advance deeper to Troy
for the championship.”
Todd has interest from
Troy, Samford, Western
Kentucky, UAB, North
Carolina, Memphis and
Wake Forest.
Prattville
Christian
traveled to cross town rival Autauga Academy for
the season opener on Aug.
18. The Panthers won last
year meeting, 27-6.
“There is no doubt
that this year’s team has
worked harder, longer and
with more enthusiasm that
any other season,” Todd
said. “We have focused on
details of every phase of
the game. We have really
come together as a team,
more like a brotherhood.
“It has meant a lot of
hard work, and long hours

“

n his second year, Grey
Powell’s
Prattville
Christian
Academy
squad finished second in a
tough region of the largest
classification in AISA.
The Panthers had opportunity to win the region,
but lost back-to-back home
games to Pike Liberal Arts
and Bessemer Academy.
“We hope to be able to
play up to our potential,”
Powell said. “This will be
the first senior class at PCA
that actually began their
careers on the very first
PCA team in the seventh
grade. It is common knowledge that first we must
stay healthy, just can’t afford to have injuries to our
key personnel, and second
eliminate mistakes, such
as penalties, and broken
assignments, etc.
“To win our region
we have to beat Morgan,
Bessemer and Pike Liberal. And even winning
those doesn’t guarantee it.
Everybody has good teams
in this region.”
The
Panthers
will
dress 45 players for varsity games and also field
a junior varsity team. The
Panthers have 65 players
in total.
One of those is Alex
Powell
(coach’s
son).

of extra time on our own
practicing. Through it all
we have honored God, on
and off the field.”
Notes: Mike Pearson, father of
senior linebacker Jonathan, serves
as defensive coordinator … The
Panthers lost 11 lettermen including record setting running back
J. J. Hudson (All-state, all-metro,
all county) and offensive lineman
Ray Rudolph (all-state, all-metro,
and all-county). Rudolph and
Hudson played in the AISA
all star game along with four
other Panthers who have graduated — Michael Gregory (Strong
safety) Josh Jones (wide receiver),
DeMarcus Geeter (defensive back)
and Victor Washington (defensive
line) … 16 lettermen return this
year including a three-year starter
in linebacker Michael Lynam.

Head coach
Grey Powell
» Age: 37
» Experience:
Begins third
season at
PCA with
career
record of 16-8. He is a
native of Arkansas, where
he graduated from Harding University. Following college, he served as
assistant coach at several
high schools in Arkansas,
Texas and Tennessee. He
and wife, Sharon, have
four children, Alex, Caleb,
Haley and Rebekah.

Player
profiles
Edward Todd. Jr.
» Year:
Senior
» Position:
WR/KR
» Ht./Wt.:
5-9/160
“This year’s
team can accomplish our
goals and make plays and
the bond we have is better than anything else. We
have each other’s back.”
Jonathan Pearson

Junior quarterback Jordan
Peak will be managing the
offense on the field for the
Panthers this season.

» Year:
Senior
» Position:
RB/LB
» Ht./Wt.:
6-0/200
“The two
losses to Pike Lib motivated me. I hate the feeling
of losing. I hate it more
than I like the feeling of
winning and I don’t want
to feel it this year.”

RIVALRIES SHINE
Stanhope Elmore, Wetumpka game brings out best in teams
records, they do have five
regional titles to their
credit).
Folks without reserved
seats begin lining up at 4
in the afternoon to get into
the stadium that is always
packed. There is no extra
seat to be found when these
two get together.

By Jimmy White
Special to the Advertiser

I

have often been asked
the question “Why is
football so popular in
the South and particularly
in Alabama?” I wish I had a
good answer, but I don’t.
I do have a theory that
we do not have a professional team in the state, so
all our hero worshipping
goes to our local high school
team, and then there is the
magnetism of worship for
Alabama and Auburn.
But this theory is slim
at best, since Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana,
and Texas all have professional football teams. The
high school stadiums in
those states are packed Friday nights just like those in
Alabama.
Friday nights in these
states are almost like a
holy day as grandmas and
grandpas, uncles, aunts
and family members come
out to cheer their young
gladiators on to victory.
Here are a few high
school games that I would
pay top see this fall in Alabama. There is nothing like
a friendly rivalry when it
comes to high school football.

Sept. 23: Lineville
at Clay County

Talking about rivalry —
there are only a few games
that can top the rivalry
between the Aggies of
Lineville and the Panthers
of Clay County. Only six
miles of Alabama 9 separate the two schools.
They began playing
each other in 1922 and they
still play it annually. Toss
in five times that the two
met in the playoffs and
that total is 96 games. Lineville has won 54 and Clay
County 42. The Aggies beat
Clay County last fall 41-6
to break a seven-game
winning streak by the Panthers.
The two schools even
met in the state championship game in 1996 with
Clay County spanking their
county rivals, 42-0. They
also won the regular season
game, 21-0. This was during the Danny Horn era.
Horn was Clay County’s
coach for 19 years and
won 225 games, dropping
only 40. The Panthers won
ten regional titles, and six
state titles under Horn. He
left Clay County after the
2008 season for class 6A
Benjamin Russell in Alexander City.

Oct. 21: Auburn
at Opelika

The battle for bragging rights in Lee County
always produces an overflowing crowd as the two
powerhouses collide, normally for the Region title.
Last year’s battle in Auburn was won by the Tigers,
19-14. The win by Auburn
narrowed the gap to 41-39
in favor of the Bulldogs

Oct. 14: Hoover
at Vestavia Hills

Stanhope Elmore players take the field against Wetumpka
on Oct. 21. The winner of the game gets bragging rights in
Elmore County. MICKEY WELSH/ADVERTISER FILE
with three games ending
in a tie. Opelika High was
originally known as Cliff
High and became Opelika
High in 1959.

Oct. 21: Stanhope
Elmore at Wetumpka

The game for bragging
rights in Elmore County
brings out the best in the
two schools, and sometimes the worst in some
of the school’s fans. Both
teams are expected to be
competitive this fall in
Class 6A Region 4.
Wetumpka lost their Mr.
Football, Jamal Golden.
Golden is now playing for
Georgia Tech. This fall
the Indians will turn to allstate defensive back Kevin
Lacey to continue the winning ways. Lacey will be
the Indians quarterback.
Stanhope
Elmore
snapped a four-year dominance by Wetumpka last
fall with a 21-14 victory in
Millbrook. The Mustangs
own a decisive edge in the
traditional battle, having
won 28 of the 43 games.

Oct. 27: McGillToolen vs. Murphy

On a Thursday night
down in Mobile’s Ladd
Peeples Stadium former
Prattville Lion offensive
coordinator Bart Sessions
will bring his McGillToolen Yellow Jackets to
do battle with the Murphy
Panthers.
This is a longtime rivalry between the two Mobile schools dating back to
1935. The two schools have
met 78 times with the Panthers holding a 46-31 edge
and one game ending in a
deadlock.
Murphy has one state
title in 1983 and has 12 regional championships. They
also have sent 14 players to
the NFL. Murphy opened
its doors in 1925 when
old Barton Academy was
closed in downtown Mobile. For many years they
played their home games
in old Monroe Park, which
was located about where
Hank Aaron Baseball Stadium stands today.
Murphy and McGill Institute (the Bishop Toolen
school for girls became
a part of McGill in 1972),

for many years played two
military schools from Mississippi, Gulf Coast Military Academy and St. Stanislaus of Pass Christian, as
well as Mobile’s own University Military School.
McGill won last year’s
game 28-13.

Oct. 28: T. R. Miller
at W. S. Neal

The battle of Murder
Creek has been played continuously since 1946. Only
the creek with the unusual
name separates the two
schools located in Brewton
and East Brewton.
The Tigers in Brewton
are rich in football tradition, having won six state
titles and having 31 playoff
appearances with an 80-25
overall record. Miller has
been in the finals 11 times
(while their upstarts from
across the creek do not
tout the highly regarded

For years only a few
miles separated the two
schools when Hoover was
known as Berry High
School. In 1994 a new school
was build and Berry moved
and became Hoover.
However the bitter rivalry between the two
schools continued. Bob
Finley coached Berry High
School for 25 years and
retired when the school
became Hoover. Buddy
Anderson is the longtime
coach at Vestavia Hills (33
years).
Hoover has won eight
state Class 6A championships, 15 region titles and
has been to the playoffs
26 times. Vestavia Hills
has two state titles and 15
region championship, and
has been to the playoffs 27
times.
The two schools have
battled continuously since
1972 with 25 wins for the
Bucs, and Vestavia Hills’
18. Four times the two
schools have met in the
state playoffs.
A ticket to this game between the two Birmingham
powerhouses is a valuable
commodity.

6C

Millbrook PROGRESS

Wednesday, AUGUST 24, 2011

EAST MEMORIAL WILDCATS
AISA Class AAA, Region 2 » 2010 Record: 2-9

SEEKING RESPECTABILITY
Wildcats taking steps to turn program in right direction
Head coach

By Jimmy White
Special to the Advertiser

Vic Foxworth

T

» Age: 50
» Experience:
Foxworth
will begin
his second
year of his
second tour at EMCA. Foxworth began the football
program at EMCA in 2004
and coached two years.
He was out of football for
four years, returning in
the 2010 season. Foxworth and his wife Toni
have three adult children,
Jason, Vicki, and Lena.

Player
profiles
Corbin Shaw

Tommy Hammack, clockwise from left, Tommy Burton and Casey Rollan will look to help East Memorial improve on last
year’s 2-9 record. The Wildcats lost their first game 55-14 to Edgewood Academy last week. PHOTOS BY MICKEY WELSH/ADVERTISER
the team we put on the field
will have quality players
because most will have a
year’s experience in what
we want to do. We want to
throw the ball and spread it
out on offense.
“Defensively, we are
going to make it simple,
we will run the 4-3 and
play fundamental, sound
defense.
Some
games
might be different. We’ll
just adapt to what our opponents run. Most of the
teams in the AISA like to
run the football, so this is
our best defensive scheme
to stop the run, a 4-3.”
Dashun Bartley is one of
the players that Foxworth
is counting to have a great
season.
Bartley, 16, transferred

“

We’re looking at a lot of youth, but
we will have more quality players.
— Vic Foxworth, head coach

to East Memorial from
Stanhope Elmore High.
“I felt more comfortable coming to EMCA because of the environment
here as a Christian school,”
Bartley said. “Also I knew
coach (Jeff) Foshee was
going to run the ball more
at Stanhope, and here I
knew EMCA would use
passing plays more frequently. I felt I would have
a better opportunity to be
noticed for my pass receiving skills.”
Bartley’s
teammate
Corbin Shaw, also 16, didn’t

“

he East Memorial
Wildcats got off to
a horrendous start
last fall, dropping their first
three football games by a
combined score of 148-7.
“It was a tough start,
no doubt,” East Memorial
coach Vic Foxworth said.
“But I was very proud of
the kids, they never quite
and always played to the
best of their ability until
the last game of the season. We had a ton of injuries throughout the season.
That’s one of the keys to
having a successful season,
stay healthy.
“The chemistry on this
team is much better, and
we have more talent, not
in numbers, although our
numbers could be up from
last year.”
Other than injuries,
Foxworth cited a few other
key factors for success this
season.
“There are also three
other things that have
to happen for a successful year,” Foxworth said.
“One, the injuries, we have
to eliminate those, and be
more consistent on offense
and defense, Second, we
have to be more productive in the red zone. Last
year we were 23 percent.
We can’t do that and win.
Three, we have reduce the
mistakes, like holding and
offside penalties. If we can
do those things, then we’ll
be competitive.”
The Wildcats head into
the season with only seven
seniors.
“We’re looking at a lot
of youth, but we will have
more quality players,”
Foxworth said. “We may
be smaller in numbers, but

get to show off his skills as
he was hurt the majority of
the season. He is completely healthy and ready to get
started.
“We have been working
out three days a week and
it is different as night and
day from last year’s team,”
Shaw said. “We have come
together as a team and
have been willing to pay
the price to get better.
When you come in and lift
when other students are
out having fun in the summer, you realize that you
and your teammates are

paying a price to be better,
and that’s our goal to improve.”
East Memorial will open
the season with a road trip
to class AA defending
state champions Edgewood Academy in Elmore.
Bobby Carr’s Wildcats defeated Springwood Academy, 41-0, in last year’s
championship game for
the school’s second title in
three years.
Notes: Scott Phillips and David
Chambers serve as co-defensive
coordinators while Richard
Joiner is the team’s offensive
coordinator. … The Wildcats have
10 lettermen returning junior
quarterback Corbin Shaw, who
was injured most of last season,
junior running back Timmy Moore
and senior offensive tackle and
defensive end Joseph Brewton.

» Year:
Jr.
» Position:
QB
» Ht./Wt.:
6-4 1/2/185
“I love the
bond between teammates
and the feeling that you
get playing on Friday
nights.”
Joseph Brewton
» Year:
Sr.
» Position:
OT/DE
» Ht./Wt.:
6-1/254
“I love
being able to fellowship
with my teammates and
other players.”

Wednesday, AUGUST 24, 2011

Millbrook PROGRESS

7C

WETUMPKA INDIANS
AHSAA Class 6A, Region 4 » 2010 Record: 10-2 (the Indians lost to Daphne in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs after beating Prattville in the first round)

BIG SHOES TO FILL
Will Lacey have golden touch for Indians?
Head coach

By Tim Gayle
tgayle@gannett.com

Chad Anderson

T

» Age: 35
» Experience:
Anderson,
a graduate
of Prattville
High, is now
in his 12th year as a football coach, either as an assistant or as a head coach
at Wetumpka. Anderson,
a graduate of the University of Alabama with
a master’s degree from
Alabama State University,
has a wife, Meagan, and
daughter, Annabelle.

Player
profiles
Damian Lewis

Kevin Lacey, above left, takes over as quarterback this year, replacing Jamal Golden. At right, running back Anthony
Finney runs the ball during practice as the team prepares to build on last season’s success. PHOTOS BY MICKEY WELSH/ADVERTISER
the backfield but believe
they have a supporting cast
that can take the burden
off Lacey.
“We ran the ball quite a
bit last year, but we won’t really have that deep threat of
Demario (Bell) or the jump
ball factor we had with him
in the red zone,” Lacey said.
“We’ll be more of a downhill
running team. I think we’re
good enough to run the ball
on anybody.”
That could take the burden off the defense as well
as it searches for defensive
linemen to anchor the 3-4

“

We have to come together and
figure out how we’re going to play
together. We have to figure out we’re
not the same team as last year.
— Kevin Lacey, QB

scheme.
“Defensively, the line
is going to be a work in
progress,” Anderson said.
“We’ve got one of the starters coming back in a rotation of six. That’s going to
be the biggest thing.”
Anderson said the suc-

“

he Wetumpka Indians will have a different look on offense this fall.
For the past three years,
it’s been Jamal Golden at
quarterback, leading the Indians to some of their most
exciting and monumental
victories since climbing to
Class 6A a decade ago.
The graduation of Golden, the 2010 Mr. Football,
creates a new challenge
at Wetumpka. Not just at
quarterback, where safety
Kevin Lacey will assume
the duties previously held
by Golden, but in the entire psyche of an offense
that had come to depend
on Golden to make the big
play when it was needed.
“He had that spark about
him,” said Wetumpka High
coach Chad Anderson.
Without Golden, Anderson predicts subtle changes in the Indians’ offensive
attack.
“We’ll definitely run
more option with Kevin,”
Anderson said. “Jamal
was based more off a zone
scheme with different
types of angles. We have
a different offensive line,
too. They’re heavier, so it’s
not a zone friendly group.
I gave Jamal the option
on every run to pull it if
he saw grass, if he saw an
end not paying attention
and honoring him. I don’t
know if you’re going to see
quarterback sweeps out of
Kevin, but I don’t know if
he’ll need to do that.”
With three starters returning on the offensive
line, the Indians are searching for a big-play threat in

cess of last year’s squad
will be tough to duplicate
because of the team’s
chemistry, an intangible
Lacey and his teammates
are searching for as the
season opener draws near.
“There’s enough to build
on, but right now we’re

struggling to find our identity as a team,” he said. “We
have to come together and
figure out how we’re going
to play together. We have
to figure out we’re not the
same team as last year.”
Notes: The Indians not only lost
“Mr. Football,” quarterback Jamal
Golden, but also its big-play
receiver, Demario Bell, which will
change the look of the Wetumpka offense this fall. Although the
Indians’ spread attack focuses a
lot of attention on the quarterback, the Indians could have more
brute strength in the trenches
and should be a better running
team this fall.

» Year: Sr.
» Position:
LB
» Ht./Wt.:
5-11/185
“The best
thing about
playing high school football is learning the game,
playing with friends and
coaching support.”
Kevin Lacey
» Year: Sr.
» Position:
QB
» Ht./Wt.:
6-5/185
“The best
thing
about playing high school
football is the fans and
playing in front of a lot of
people.”

Climbing the mountain
Bulldogs return 16 starters from last year’s playoff team

Holtville is bringing back seven starters on offense and nine on defense from a team that made it to the playoffs last season. PHOTOS BY LLOYD GALLMAN/ADVERTISER

cstrickland1@gannett.com

H

oltville entered uncharted
territory
last season with
new opponents after the
AHSAA’s realignment put
them into a highly competitive region.
Despite the new challenges and unfamiliarity,
the Bulldogs pushed forward to claim their second
postseason berth in three
seasons under coach Barry
Gibson, whose team finished third behind top-10

mainstays Dadeville and
Beauregard in Class 4A,
Region 3.
“Taking that No. 3 spot
was a step in the right direction for us because we
didn’t know what to expect
in a new region,” Gibson
said. “We won seven games,
and I was very proud of
them for stepping up to the
challenge.”
With a positive first year
as its confidence builder,
Holtville looks to make
even more noise this campaign with seven returning starters on offense and

“

Taking that No. 3 spot was a step in the
right direction for us because we didn’t
know what to expect in a new region.
— Barry Gibson, head coach

nine on the defensive side
of the field.
“We had an excellent
offseason, perhaps the best
since I’ve been here, and I
know the guys are up for
the challenge again,” Gibson said. “I feel good about
our guys because they
know what to expect now.”
But the recent major

“

By Cortez Strickland

shakeups in the backfield
could be somewhat of a setback for the Bulldogs, who
loss of key backs Akeem
Bennett and Patrick Reed.
Bennett was dismissed due
a violation of team rules
and Reed transferred to
Sidney Lanier, Gibson said.
Expect JaQuille Ellis and
Antonio Kendrick to step in

to fill the void. Ellis, a junior wingback, was a heavy
contributor in a supportive
role as season ago, reaching
the end zone via the air and
ground in the school’s complicated Spin’ offense.
“We’re going to run
that ball, that’s been our
reputation,” Gibson said.
“We had some young guys
back there a year ago, but
one thing that’s going to be
the difference maker is the
experience they’ve picked
up.”
Senior Daquarious McCall feels offseason training and conditioning should
help open up more running
lanes for his teammates.
“It’s our job to make
sure we can pound the ball,
basically we’re going to
knock people’s heads off,”
said McCall, who is an offensive and defensive lineman. “We’ve worked extra
hard in the weight room.”
Gibson said the commitment from players to summer workouts was the best
he’s seen since taking over
the program three seasons
ago.
“Showing up and working out every day during
the summer showed leadership and commitment,
something the younger
guys can look up too,” senior Mason Price said. “It
showed them how hard they
need to work if they’re going help us reach our goals
on the field this year.”
While coaches stress the
importance of taking the
season one game at a time,
Gibson has pointed out a
pair of games — Marbury
and Dadeville — that his
squad has definitely circled
on their calendars.
“I think Dadeville is important because you want
to knock off the best,” Gibson said. “But just as important, the (season-opener) against Marbury is as
equally important because
it’s the first one of the season and it’s a rivalry.”
Notes: Gibson proved yet again
he won’t allow any player to mess
up team chemistry with the recent dismissal of RB Akeem Bennett. Prior to the start of the 2009
campaign, he parted ways with
talented RB Akevious McCall, who
had several high-profile schools
interested in his services. … Scoring was never a problem for the
Dawgs in 2010, as they put at
least 40 points on the board four
times — all wins. … Holtville has
won two of the last three home
games over rival Marbury.

Head coach
Barry Gibson
» Age: 57
» Experience:
Gibson has
34 years on
the sidelines, with
the past three coming at
Holtville.

Player
profiles
Daquarious McCall
» Year: Sr.
» Position:
OL/DL
» Ht./Wt.:
5-10/233
“I think
the best
thing about high school
football is the relationship
between your coaches and
players, and Friday Night
lights.”
Mason Price

MAINTAINING RANK
Lions enter season as one of state’s, nation’s top teams
By Jimmy White
Special to the Advertiser

P

The Prattville Lions, with numerous seniors returning on both sides of the ball, are ranked
No. 1 in the country by Rivals.com. MICKEY WELSH/ADVERTISER

rattville rolls into
the 2011 season as a
preseason favorite to
compete for the state championship. The Lions were
knocked out in the second
round last fall and the majority of players will return.
It has been a who’s who
of college coaches at the
Prattville Athletic Building
during the spring recruiting season.
Quarterback
Justin
Thomas played most of the
2010 season hobbled by a
knee injury that required
surgery over the winter. He
is expected to fully recover
by the start of the fall season. Thomas has an excellent arm and blazing speed.
He will have a host of
available targets.
Senior Brandon Smith
was on the receiving end
of 45 passes for 448 yards
at the National Select 7-on7 tournament in Hoover in
July. Senior Nick Shanks
grabbed 27 for 317 yards.

Prattville finished second to
defending state champion
Daphne in a field of 32 teams
from 15 different states at
the prestigious tournament.
Senior running back
George Rowe also picked
up 485 receiving yards at
the tournament. Seniors
Kordell Arrington, Jeremiah Gardner, Nate Albert,
Mike Smith and sophomore
Denzel Jones all are excellent receivers.
Following the tournament, head coach Jamey
DuBose said he “left our
best players at home.”
DuBose was referring to
talented defensive linemen
and offensive lineman.
The Lions return offensive linemen Rann Causey
(6-0, 240), Jordan McQueen
(6-3, 280), Austin Golson
(6-6, 260), Bradley Steele
(6-3, 310), Nole Jones (6-5,
268) and Terrance Jones
(6-3, 260).
One recruiting website
ranks defensive lineman
Justin Shanks (6-3, 305) as
Continued on Page 10C

Player
profiles
Caleb Gulledge
» Year: Sr.
» Position:
OL
» Ht./Wt.:
6-6/280
“The atmosphere
of Friday night games —
the love for the game is
most precious at the high
school level.”
Justin Shanks
» Year: Sr.
» Position:
» DL
» Ht./Wt.:
6-3/305
When asked
what he
loved about high school
Shanks replied: “Sacking
quarterbacks.”

Daniel Marshall and senior
Brian Curry vying for the
starting role.
DuBose approaches the
season with cautious optimism.
The Lions are ranked
No. 1 by Rivals.com in its
preseason rankings of the
top 100 high school teams
in the country.
“I know we are getting a
lot of preseason hype, but
that’s what it is, hype,” DuBose said. “Looking at our
schedule on any night we
can get beat. We start the
season in Birmingham with
the No. 4 team in America,
St. Thomas Aquinas. They
won the Florida big school
state championship last
year, and were undefeated and ended the season
ranked No. 2 in the state.
“You could say that’s our

“

I know we are getting
a lot of preseason hype,
but that’s what it is, hype.
— Jamey DuBose, head coach

toughest opponent, but any
time you play the schools
in our region week in and
week out, you have to play
your best. All of the region
schools are going to be better. We’re not looking over
anyone and will play the
schedule game by game.
“Certainly, we have
some talented kids. But
many things can play a
part in a successful season,
such as injuries, too many
penalties, silly mistakes,
and believe it not, having a
lot of luck. The ball is not
round.”
Thomas, 18, echoed Du-

“

Continued from Page 9C

Bose’s thoughts.
“I hope to have a good
year and avoid the nagging
injuries,” Thomas said.
“We certainly set our goals
high, and we know we will
be a marked team. We’ll
go out and play to our best
ability and see what happens.”
Gulledge, 18, also feels
that the team will have
high expectations.
“This is a team with a lot
of seniors on it,” Gulledge
said. “Most of us have been
together for three to four
years, and have set our
standards high. We feel

like we fell short of our
goals last year, and want
to try and correct those
mistakes and get back on
the winning track. If we
can stay healthy we could
have a great season, hope
so anyway.”
Notes: Forty-five seniors return
with the class having 15 Division
1A scholarship offers. The team
expects to have another 10 sign
with smaller schools. Some of the
commitments include: QB Justin
Thomas (Alabama), OL/DL Caleb
Gulledge (Alabama), OL Bradley
Steele (South Alabama) and
Terrance Jones (South Alabama),
DB Derrick Moncrief (Southern
Mississippi); DB Lajonri Vason
(Wake Forest), QB Jalen Whitlow
(Arkansas State), Austin Golson
(Florida State) and DL Justin
Shanks (Florida State). The Lions
are 1-4 when facing out-of-state
schools since 2008. The program’s
lone win came against Tennessee’s Brentwood Academy.

Head coach
Jamey DuBose
» Age: 41
» Experience: He
begins his
fourth season. DuBose
is a native
of Opp, where he played
football for the legendary coach Jamie Riggs. He
has two young sons from
first marriage, and his wife
Tracey, has two sons, Lance,
18, and Austin, 16, from
her first marriage. DuBose
began his high school
coaching career in 1993 at
Eufaula High. He was head
coach at Susan Moore High
in Blountsville, for two
seasons. His career record is
43-19 (Susan Moore 10-11
and Prattville 33-8).

Prattville quarterback Justin Thomas said he knows other teams will have the Lions in their
sights this season. MICKEY WELSH/ADVERTISER